Wright Electric has demonstrated the first inverter system of its kind for large zero-emission aircraft, a key component in medium voltage aircraft electric systems
easyJet welcomes this important milestone for Wright Electric which is a crucial step on the path to zero emission commercial aircraft
The airline continues to work with Wright Electric and other partners to stimulate and accelerate the development of a zero-emission aircraft and is committed to transition to new technologies once available and viable
easyJet’s partner Wright Electric has revealed the latest milestone in its engine development programme which is working towards the development and certification of the first commercially viable, zero-emissions single-aisle aircraft. Wright has now demonstrated the first inverter system of its kind for large zero-emissions aircraft.
Whether a future aeroplane is battery-electric or powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, an inverter is a key component in medium voltage aircraft electric systems. Its purpose is to convert the DC power from batteries to the AC power required by the propulsion system’s electric motors.
Designed to be scalable from 500 kW to 20 MW systems, the Wright inverter targets the following levels of performance:
99.5% efficiency - a 6x improvement in heat loss over current in-production aviation inverters resulting in significantly lower thermal management loads.
30 kW/kg power density - in contrast, today’s technology delivers 10-20 kW/kg. On a standard single-aisle aircraft, this would result in weight savings equivalent to adding an extra 5-10 passengers per flight.
The inverter now proceeds to the next phase of development including integration with an in-house developed 2 MW motor, high altitude chamber testing, and qualification for flight readiness.
This next milestone is part of the ongoing development of zero-emission and low-emissions technology for a single-aisle airliner designed for flights up to 800 miles, which would cover around 50% of easyJet’s current network. Wright Electric is targeting entry into service of its flagship Wright 1 aircraft in 2030.
David Morgan, Director of Flight Operations for easyJet commented:
“We welcome this latest development as it marks another crucial step forward for our partner Wright Electric on this journey towards the development and introduction of commercial zero-emission aircraft technology which would be a game changer for short haul aviation.
“We know it is extremely important to our customers that we operate as sustainably as possible, and everyone at easyJet are committed to collaborating on the development of these new technologies, aiming to be one of the first adopters when they come to market."
Jeff Engler, CEO of Wright Electric said:
“The level of performance demonstrated with our new inverter will become the baseline for any new electric aircraft and is a key technology in our megawatt system,” said Jeff Engler, CEO of Wright. “In January 2020, we announced the start of our megawatt scale electric motor program for a single-aisle commercial airliner. Over the coming months, Wright will be making additional announcements regarding the progress of our integrated propulsion system. Zero-emissions commercial aircraft are the future, and Wright is focused on delivering on the promise.”
easyJet has been working with Wright Electric in its mission to support the development of an all-electric aircraft programme as part of a shared ambition to de-carbonise aviation. Currently, Wright is engineering electrical systems at the megawatt scale which will be necessary for commercial flight for its 186 seats zero-emission aircraft.
Despite the impact of the pandemic, the last year has seen more technological breakthroughs including the first battery-powered all-electric, zero-emission plane certified by EASA – the Pipistrel Velis Electro, in Slovenia and the UK’s first successful test flight of a six-seater hydrogen-electric aircraft which took place at Cranfield.
easyJet is the first major airline to operate carbon neutral flights across its whole network. The airline is achieving this goal by offsetting the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of its flights. The airline sees this as an interim measure until new technology becomes available to decarbonise aviation. In the meantime, easyJet remains focused on operating its fleet as efficiently as possible using modern, fuel efficient engines which are quieter and burn less fuel. Since 2000 easyJet has reduced the carbon emissions for each kilometre flown by a passenger by over one-third (33.67%) and has a target to reach a 38% reduction by 2022.
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For further information, please contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252 or visit www.easyjet.com/mediacentre
For further information on Wright Electric, please contact stephanie.goulet@weflywright.com or visit http://weflywright.com/
About easyJet
easyJet is Europe's leading airline offering a unique and winning combination of the best route network connecting Europe's primary airports, with great value fares and friendly service.
easyJet flies on more of Europe's most popular routes than any other airline and carried more than 96 million passengers in 2019 – more than 16 million travelling for business. The airline has over 300 aircraft on nearly 1000 routes to more than 150 airports across 35 countries. Over 300 million Europeans live within one hour's drive of an easyJet airport.
easyJet aims to be a good corporate citizen, employing people on local contracts in eight countries across Europe in full compliance with national laws and recognising their trade unions. The airline supports a number of local charities and also has a corporate partnership with UNICEF which has raised over £14m for the most vulnerable children since it was established in 2012.
The airline takes sustainability seriously and is the first major airline to operate carbon neutral flights across its whole network. The airline is achieving this goal by offsetting the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of its flights. The airline sees this as an interim measure until new technology becomes available to de-carbonise aviation. In the meantime, easyJet will continue to support innovative technology, operate efficiently and aim to fill most of its seats. Since 2000, we have improved our carbon emission per passenger kilometre efficiency by over one third and we have a target to reach a 38% reduction by 2022.
Innovation is in easyJet's DNA – from our launch over 25 years ago when we changed the way people fly to the present day where we lead the industry in digital, web, engineering and operational innovations to make travel more easy and affordable for our passengers.
The airline was named as Britain's Most Admired Company of 2020 in the transport sector, retaining the leading position for a second year running. Britain's Most Admired Companies study is the longest-running annual survey of corporate reputation in the UK.
About Wright Electric
Wright Electric, Inc. (Wright) is a U.S.-based company developing the world’s first zero-emissions commercial aircraft. The company was founded in 2016 by a team of aerospace engineers, powertrain experts, and battery chemists. By focusing its resources on the technological and component challenges to electrification, Wright Electric is establishing the path towards a carbon-free aviation footprint. Wright's flagship airplane under development is the Wright 1, a narrow-bodied aircraft with an 800-mile range, targeting entry into service 2030. Wright works with airlines such as easyJet and VivaAerobus and has development contracts with NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E. Wright has been funded through Y Combinator, the Clean Energy Trust, venture funds, and family offices.
